DBS has launched a new sign-up offer for the DBS Vantage Card, and it’s one of the best we’ve seen yet.
New customers who spend S$5,000 within 30 days of approval and pay the first year’s S$594 annual fee will receive 80,000 bonus miles, while existing customers will receive 60,000 bonus miles for meeting the same criteria.
This is even better than the launch offer, which required a minimum spend of S$8,000 for the same bonus!
DBS Vantage Flash Deal
 DBS Vantage Card |
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| Apply |
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| Card T&Cs | ||
| Flash Deal T&Cs | ||
| Income Req. | Annual Fee | FCY Fee |
| S$120,000 |
S$594 | 3.25% |
| Local Earn | FCY Earn | Miles with AF |
| 1.5 mpd |
2.2 mpd | 25,000 miles |
From 13-26 April 2023, new DBS Vantage Cardholders who spend S$5,000 within 30 days of approval and pay the first year’s S$594 annual fee will receive the following:
| New Customer | Existing Customer | |
| Pay S$594 annual fee | 25,000 miles | 25,000 miles |
| Spend S$5,000 within 30 days | 55,000 miles | 35,000 miles |
| Total | 80,000 miles | 60,000 miles |
| Must apply with promo code APRVTG |
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| โ “New Customer” Definition | ||
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New customers are defined as those who:
For avoidance of doubt, holding a supplementary DBS/POSB credit card does not, in and of itself, make you an existing customer. |
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New customers will receive 80,000 miles, while those who already hold other DBS/POSB cards will receive 60,000 miles.
This bonus is on top of whatever base miles you normally earn with the DBS Vantage, so you’re looking at at least 87,500 miles (new) or 67,500 miles (existing) in total, based on S$5,000 spent locally at 1.5 mpd.
You must enter the promo code APRVTG when applying, and all applications must be approved by 10 May 2023. The promo code field can be found towards the bottom of the application page, under the “DBS Marketing & Promotions Materials” section.
If you forget to enter the code, you can do so later on via this link.
Given the annual fee of S$594, the cost per mile is:
- New customer: 0.74 cents (S$594/80,000 miles)
- Existing customer: 0.99 cents (S$594/60,000 miles)
Is this a good deal?
I’d say so.
Back when the DBS Vantage Card first launched, the sign-up offer was:
- New customers: 80,000 bonus miles with S$8,000 spend in 60 days
- Existing customers: 60,000 bonus miles with S$8,000 spend in 60 days
The current APRVTG offer keeps the same bonuses, but cuts the minimum spend to S$5,000 in 30 days.
For the sake of completeness, I should mention that you can also apply with the code VANMILES and get 60,000 bonus miles with S$4,000 spend in 30 days (valid till 30 June 2023), but when you do the math the APRVTG offer is much better.
| Spend | Miles (New Customer) |
Miles per S$1 | |
| VANMILES | S$4K in 30 days | 60,000 | 15 |
| APRVTG | S$5K in 30 days | 80,000 | 16 |
What counts as qualifying spend?
Cardholders are required to spend at least S$5,000 within 30 days of approval.
Qualifying spend includes both local and foreign retail sales and posted recurring bill payments, excluding the following:
| โ ๏ธ Excluded transactions |
| a. posted 0% Interest Instalment Payment Plan monthly transactions; b. posted My Preferred Payment Plan monthly transactions; c. interest, finance charges, cash withdrawal, balance transfer, smart cash, AXS payments, SAM online bill payments, bill payments via internet banking and all fees charged by DBS; d. payments to educational institutions; e. payments to financial institutions (including banks, online trading platforms and brokerages); f. payments to government institutions and services (court cases, fines, bail and bonds, tax payment, postal services, parking lots and garages, intra-government purchases and any other government services not classified here); g. payments to hospitals; h. payments to insurance companies (sales, underwriting and premiums); i. payments to non-profit organisations; j. payments to utility bill companies; k. payments to professional service providers (including but not limited to accounting, auditing, bookkeeping services, advertising services, funeral service and legal services and attorneys); i. any top-ups or payment of funds to payment service providers, any prepaid accounts or purchase of prepaid cards/credits (including but not limited to EZ-Link, GrabPay, NETS FlashPay, Transit Link, Razer Pay, ShopeePay, Singtel Dash, AMAZE*); m. any betting transactions (including levy payments to local casinos, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, off-track betting and wagers); n. any transactions related to crypto currencies; o. payments made to CardUp, FavePay, iPaymy and SmoovPay are also subject to the exclusions listed in Clauses 9 (a) to 9 (o) above; and p. any other transactions determined by DBS from time to time |
DBS has previously clarified that only rental transactions made via CardUp will count towards the sign-up bonus; all other payments will not count (though they will still earn the base rate of 1.5 mpd).
For the avoidance of doubt, supplementary and principal cardholder spending will pool when calculating whether the minimum qualifying spend has been met.
When will the miles be credited?
The 25,000 miles for paying the S$594 annual fee will be awarded immediately (in the form of 12,500 DBS points) when the annual fee is charged.
The bonus of 35,000 miles (existing) or 55,000 miles (new) will be credited within 90-120 days from the date of fulfilling the qualifying spend (in the form of 17,500/27,500 DBS points).
What can you do with DBS Points?
DBS Points earned on the DBS Vantage expire in three years, and can be converted to any of the following frequent flyer programmes with a S$27 admin fee.
| Frequent Flyer Programme | Conversion Ratio (DBS Points: Miles) |
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5,000: 10,000 |
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5,000: 10,000 |
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5,000: 10,000 |
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500: 1,500 |
Terms & Conditions
The full T&Cs for this flash deal can be found here.
Overview: DBS Vantage Card
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| Apply | |||
| Income Req. | S$120,000 p.a. | Points Validity | 3 years |
| Annual Fee | S$594 |
Min. Transfer |
5,000 DBS Points (10,000 miles) |
| Miles with Annual Fee |
25,000 | Transfer Partners |
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| FCY Fee | 3.25% | Transfer Fee | S$27 |
| Local Earn | 1.5 mpd | Points Pool? | Yes |
| FCY Earn | 2.2 mpd | Lounge Access? | Yes: 10x Priority Pass |
| Special Earn | 6 mpd on Expedia | Airport Limo? | No |
| Cardholder Terms and Conditions | |||
The DBS Vantage Card offers 1.5 mpd on local spend and 2.2 mpd on FCY spend. Unfortunately, the DBS Vantage Card no longer offers 4 mpd on dining and petrol spend, ever since 1 January 2023.
Cardholders enjoy benefits such as:
- A Priority Pass membership with 10 free lounge visits per year (which can be used by the main cardholder or his/her guests)
- Accor Plus Explorer membership with Accor Silver status, up to 50% off dining and one complimentary hotel night at selected Asia Pacific hotels
- Dining discounts via Dining City
- 6 mpd on Expedia flight and hotel bookings
While the card’s annual fee cannot be waived in the first year, it will be waived subsequently when you spend at least S$60,000 in a membership year. Should the fee be waived, you will not receive the 25,000 miles, though you will receive the rest of the benefits like the Accor Plus membership and lounge passes.
Conclusion
The DBS Vantage Card has launched an enhanced offer of up to 80,000 bonus miles with S$5,000 spend in 30 days, valid for applications submitted by 26 April 2023 and approved by 10 May 2023 with the code APRVTG.
The minimum spend requirement is now 38% lower than the launch offer, though in fairness you also have half the time to meet it.
Sorry – got my answer
Thanks Aaron as always. What’s the cost per mile for an existing DBS and CardUp customer who spends $5k on CardUp to pay rent? (Taking into account the $594 annual fee and CardUp fee)
It’s relatively easy to check the cardup fee is around 2%. Do the math buddy
This is a bit of a random question, but I was prompted by being reminded of the Vantage’s 10-visit PP limit.
Is it possible to let myself into a lounge using something like my Amex Plat Charge, and then use Priority Pass only for guests?
E.g. I’m traveling with my family, total 5 people. I sign in myself+1 using the Plat charge, and then use the Vantage Priority Pass for the remaining 3?
Yes possible
Thank you!
I tried in Singapore, cannot. They only allow you to use one PP account.
Depends on the lounge operator. I tried with SATS for similar like your situation, they didn’t accept.
does VANMILES code give miles to existing dbs customers?
Does buy now pay later schemes count towards the qualifying spend in first 30 days to get the bonus miles?
Is this worth it for an existing card member?
I know that DBS will not take back miles that have been awarded for transaction if you do an installment payment plan after the transaction is posted (with fee) so AF miles and miles from the 5k transction it self is safe.
But will it then still be eligible to get the bonus miles?
Does anyone know how to add the vantage card to Apple wallet before receiving it ?
You can start using your Card immediately on Apple Pay. Hereโs how:โโ
Hi Aaron, I checked in with DBS customer service if my cardup transaction (for rental) counts for the sign-up promotion. Their response was that all card-up transactions don’t count, per the T&Cs. Would you be able to help me out?
Very oddly on my DBS app, the transaction codes as “Travel” for category!
Hi Lee, can u confirm if the Payment made towards Rental is counted towards Qualifying Spend ? As per the T&C doc it seems like eligible .
Did you get any confirmation on this? I got the same info from DBS customer service.
Last time it counts. I asked for the list of qualifying expense that I had made for my card, CardUp Rent is part of it, but IPayMy is not.
Does the purchase of Takashimaya and NTUC vouchers counts towards the $5,000 spend to be eligible for the bonus?
Anyone know this, would like to find out too
Does anyone know if Singtel bill count as qualifying spend? Or is it not qualified and classify under utility payment?
Does payment of public transport via contactless payment / ApplePay count towards the qualifying spend?